23 



marked and beneficial results. I have used it in the powdered state, mix- 

 ing it with flour, and also in the liquid form, using water as a solvent, 

 with perfect succefis with both methods ; but on the grounds of economy 

 and rapidity of application, I prefer the latter, where water is readily ac- 

 cessible. 



My manner of using the Paris green is as follows : 



I take a heaping teaspoonful and mix directly into the watering pot, 

 holding two gallons, being careful to keep the water well stirred until I 

 hand it to the laborer, generally mounted, and start him at a slow trot, to 

 sprinkling, going once or twice to the row, as the cotton is larger or 

 smaller. 



I have used the ordinarjr garden watering pot, but this can be much im- 

 proved upon ; the pot itself should be covered over entirely, with a neck 

 to insert the nozzle of a funnel, this will prevent the wastage of material 

 which occurs with the ordinary open pot, and then the sprinkler should 

 be made much larger, perforated with a number of small holes. It would 

 be prudent before going earnestly to work with Paris green to arrive at 

 the proper quantity to be used, by experimenting on a small scale, as it 

 seems not to be of uniform strength. 



I will close by giving you the results of my operations this year. In order 

 to arrive definitely at the benefits derived from Paris green, and to con- 

 rince the sceptical, I would here and there at random skip a row or two, 

 leaving them to their fate ; in every instance the rows not sprinkled 

 were devoured, whilst the surrounding cotton was green and fresh ; when 

 I went to picking I had two of these rows picked and weighed the cotton 

 from them — 80 pounds, then picked two contiguous rows on which the 

 Paris green had been applied — result 175 pounds, and this was about the 

 difference on my place generally. I made but one application, if a second 

 had been made the difference would have been even greater. I estimate 

 the cost of saving a crop at not more than $1,25 to the acre, making two 

 applications — with arsenic the cost would be much less, and I am inclined 

 to think that arsenic is as effective as Paris green, but I do not know from 

 my own experience,not having used it sufficiently to form an opinion. 



Wishing a happy and successful issue to the work you have undertaken, 



I am yours, truly, 



JNO. H. PKESCOTT. 



Gabion, Galveston, Co., Texas, March 20t]i, 1878. 

 J. Curtis Waldo, Esq. 



Dear Sir, — I am in receipt of your circular requesting me to give my 

 exnerience in raising cotton, destroying cotton worms, etc., etc., which I 

 taike pleasure in doing, as far as I am able, hoping it will be of some benefit 

 to some of my brother farmers. I have been planting cotton since 1866. 

 I do not think since then one season has passed that the worms have not 

 made their appearance in my cotton field. For several years they came too 

 late to do very much harm, but in 1871 they completely destroyed my 

 whole crop, they so completely destroyed it that it did not pay to pick 

 what was left. But since then I have succeeded every year in saving my 

 crop with poison. The only kind that 1 have succeeded with is the " Texas 

 Cotton Worm Destroyer" which I am perfectly satisfied from practical 

 experience is the very best known preparation in the market. It is far 

 superior to Paris green or any other poison that I have used or seen used, 

 but the great secret in using the poison is that it should be applied to the 

 plant aa soon as the worms are hatched and are about the size of a hair. 

 Damp cloudy weather and cool nights are more favorable for them than 

 dry weather. The best sign that may be taken as a forerunner of them is 

 a great quantity of moths flying around the field late in the evening; 

 they seem to deposit their eggs then, and die or disappear, the worm com- 

 mences hatching out some eight or ten days afterwards. A cheap mode 

 has been adopted for destroying the moth, which consists of a pan of 

 viscid water which is placed upon stakes in the cotton field at suitable 

 distances apart, a block of wood is placed in the center of each pan, upon 



